Gov. Blagojevich urges Republican lawmakers to put politics aside and support jobs program that would put 230,000 people to work

Press Release - Thursday, April 06, 2006

SPRINGFIELD - After Illinois Senate Republicans voted against a capital construction program, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich urged them to put partisan politics aside and support a plan to build better roads and schools and improve public transportation and put 230,000 people to work. After extensive debate, the Illinois Senate tonight rejected along party lines a capital program, Senate Bill 668 to fund school construction and Senate Bill 3053 to fund road projects, mass transit and higher education. Neither bill received the required three-fifths majority, or 36 votes. All 32 Senate Democrats voted for the two bills, but Senate Republicans voted against both.

"We have a responsibility to the children of Illinois to provide the best education we can offer and that includes everything from books to bricks and mortar. This is a tremendous opportunity to help our children, and we should not let it pass us by. There are also roads and bridges and highways across Illinois that need to be built and need to be fixed. We need to help commuters who rely on public transportation. These are things that need to be done. And if we do them, we will give people all around Illinois the opportunity to go to work. We cannot let partisan politics get in the way of progress. It's not too late to support a capital plan and do the right thing for the people of this state," Gov. Blagojevich said.

Gov. Blagojevich proposed a $3.2 billion dollar capital plan including $2.3 billion to build new roads, which will leverage $1.5 billion in additional federal transportation dollars, $425 million to improve public transportation, which will bring another $1.7 billion in federal funds to Illinois, and $550 million for school construction and maintenance projects. The Governor's capital plan included:

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Central Illinois projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

US 51

$21 million has been proposed under the bond program for new construction of 4 miles of a four-lane expressway, land acquisition and utility adjustments on the Assumption Bypass.

IL 29

$40 million is being proposed under the bond program for new roadway construction of 6.4 miles of a four-lane expressway from .8 miles south of Berry to 1.2 miles south of Edinburg.

School construction:

Rochester Community Unit School District 3A

would receive a $10.2 school construction grant.

Stewardson-Strasburg Community Unit District 5A

would receive a $2 million school construction grant.

·

Chicagoland area projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

CREATE

$100 million in new State funds for a combined total of $200 million in State and federal funds for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program - or CREATE

Eola Road at I-88 in Aurora

$21.8 million in the bond program is proposed for interchange reconstruction.

US 45 in Grayslake

$28.6 million is in the proposed bond program for 3.2 miles of additional lanes from Washington Street to Illinois 137.

IL 47 in Huntley

$19.7 million is included in the bond program for 2.1 miles of additional lanes and a bridge replacement.

School construction

West Northfield School District 31

would receive a $1.8 million school construction grant.

Matteson Elementary School District 162

would receive a $1.1 million school construction grant.

Northbrook School District 27

would receive a $1.5 million school construction grant.

Chicago Public School District 299

would receive a nearly $30 million school construction grant.

Big Hollow School District 38

would receive a $250,000 school construction grant.

Joliet Public School District 86

would receive a nearly $27 million school construction grant.

Winfield School District 34

will receive a $2.3 million school construction grant.

Carol Stream Community Consolidated School District 93

would receive a $1.5 million school construction grant.

Villa Park School District 45

would receive a $980,000 school construction grant.

Westmont Community Unit School District 201

would receive a $1.2 million school construction grant.

Manteno Community Unit School District 5

would receive a $2.1 million school construction grant.

Bradley School District 61

would receive a $2 million school construction grant.

Higher education:

Northeastern Illinois University would receive $64 million for construction of education building.

University of Illinois - Chicago would receive $26 million for campus-wide renovations and $61 million to plan and construct a Chemical and Life Science building.

Chicago State University would receive $21 million for renovation of Douglas Hall.

·

East Central Illinois projects would be funded under a capital plan:

I-74 Urbana Interchange

$1.2 million is being proposed under the bond program to do engineering for design, location and environmental studies for a new I-74 interchange near Urbana.

4th Street and Hazelwood Extensions

$4.6 million is included in the bond program for the construction of roads for the expansion of Research Park at the U of I in Champaign.

Higher Education:

University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign would receive $27 million to construct an electrical and computer engineering building, $50.8 million to renovate Lincoln Hall, and $16.9 million to construct the Post-Harvest Crop Research Facility.

·

North Central Illinois projects would be funded under a capital plan:

Technology Boulevard

The proposed bond program provides $12.5 million for the expansion of Technology Boulevard

IL 336

$3.6 million has been earmarked for designing the expansion of IL 336 to I-474 in Peoria County.

IL 29

$1.6 million has been earmarked to design a four-lane expressway segment from Cedar Hills Drive to IL 6.

Higher Education:

Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal would receive $34.6 million to renovate the Visual Arts Center.

·

Northwest Illinois projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

Widen IL Route 5 from 16th to 70th Streets in Moline - $29.1 million

Consists of 3.18 miles of construction improvements on IL Route 5, including additional lanes and various intersection improvements. Commercial development will be expanded in connection with the construction of the nearby new West Rock River Bridge.

U.S. Route 20 Galena Bypass - $13.1 million

Consists of design and engineering for 6.5 miles of new roadway construction beginning at the intersection of US 20 and IL 84, northwest of Galena, and continues southeast in a clockwise direction to Horseshoe Mound, approximately 0.7 of a mile northwest of Mount Hope Road, east of Galena. The construction improvements will include grading, paving, new interchanges and 15 new bridges.

New Mississippi River Bridge

More than $15 million has been earmarked under the federal bill to design and purchase land for a new Mississippi River crossing in the Quad Cities.

US 30 in Whiteside County

$6 million has been earmarked to design additional lanes and a bypass around Morrison on US 30 between IL 136 and I-88.

School Construction

Silvis School District 34 is in line to receive nearly $12 million in the form of a school construction grant.

Higher Education:

Western Illinois University would receive $13 million for construction of the Riverfront Campus.

·

Rock River Valley projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

IL 2 South Main - Rockford - $12 million

IL 2 South Main - Beltline to Clifton - begins at the intersection of IL 2 and Beltline Road and continues north to just south of Clifton Avenue, southwest of Rockford, for a total of 2.62 miles. The improvements consist of widening and resurfacing, constructing a bi-directional left turn lane, curb and gutter, storm sewer, and bridge rehabilitation.

IL 2 South Main - Michigan to Cedar - begins at the intersection of IL 2 and Michigan Avenue and continuing to Cedar Street, southwest of Rockford, for a total of 1.2 miles. The improvements include widening and resurfacing, constructing a bi-directional left turn lane, curb and gutter, and storm sewer.

IL 173 Corridor Project [from IL 251 to I-90 - Boone County Line] - $35 million

This project begins at the intersection of IL 173 and IL 251 and continues to the Boone County Line, for a total of 4.69 miles. The improvements include additional lanes, resurfacing, constructing turning lanes, and changes to traffic signal timing/progression.

IL 173 at IL 251 - $40.3 million

This project consists of intersection reconstruction at the intersection of IL 173 and IL 251 in Machesney Park.

Higher Education:

University of Illinois - Rockford Medical Campus would receive $12 million for construction of the National Rural Health Center.

·

Southeast Illinois projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

US 50

$42 million is included in the bond program for new roadway construction and reconstruction of 9 miles, engineering for design, location and environmental studies on US 50 from just west of the US 45 intersection west of Flora to Town Hall Road east of Flora and from Fox River west of Olney to Saint Marie Road east of Olney.

Maple Street Extension in Effingham

$7.9 million is set aside in the bond program for new roadway construction of 1.2 miles, a new bridge, land acquisition, engineering for design location and environmental studies for the Maple Street extension over I-55/70 in Effingham.

Stanford Road in Flora

$1.2 million has been set aside in the bond program for the reconstruction of .4 mile, engineering for design, location and environmental studies from US 45 to North Street.

Township Road 1000N from Township Road 900E to IL 130 north of Mattoon and County Highway 18 from IL 121 to 2 miles east.

$6.6 million in the bond program is proposed for 13.7 miles of new roadway construction and resurfacing.

·

Southern Illinois projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

IL 13 from Carterville to Marion

$53 million is included in the bond program for additional lanes and new roadway construction for 6.2 miles, a new bridge, intersection construction, land acquisition and utility adjustments on IL 13 from Division Street in Carterville to Halfway Road in Marion.

Extension of Veterans Memorial Drive, Davidson Drive and Wells Bypass in Mount Vernon

The proposed bond program includes $2.8 million for paving 1.1 miles and land acquisition.

I-57 in Marion

$4 million has been earmarked under the federal bill for a new interchange and bridge on I-57 in Marion at Morgan Avenue.

School construction:

Fairfield Public School District 112

would receive a $4 million school construction grant.

Johnston City Community Unit School District 1

would receive a $528,000 school construction grant.

DuQuoin Community Unit School District 300

would receive a $10 million school construction grant.

Benton Community Consolidated School District 47

would receive a nearly $2.5 million school construction grant.

Higher Education:

Southern Illinois University in Carbondale would receive $35 million to construct a Transportation Education Center and $6 million to equip Morris Library.

·

Southwest Illinois projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

US 67 Jerseyville Bypass

The bond program includes nearly $24 million for .4 mile of grading, three new bridges, a culvert, a bridge replacement, land acquisition, utility adjustments and engineering for US 67 at Dearcy Creek, a tributary of Dearcy Creek and at IL 16.

IL 3 in Waterloo

$15.6 million is included in the bond program for additional lanes on 3.4 miles, land acquisition, utility adjustments and engineering from North Market Street to South Market Street.

IL 159 in Collinsville

$25 million is included for additional lanes and resurfacing on 2.3 miles, intersection reconstruction and related work from .3 mile south of Beltline Road to .2 mile north of South Morrison Road.

College Avenue Extension in Greenville

$1.8 million is included in the bond program for a new bridge over US 40 and the CSX Railroad east of IL 127.

School construction

East St. Louis School District 189

would receive nearly $30 in school construction grants.

Bethalto Community School District 8

would receive a $4.2 million school construction grant.

HigherEducation

:

Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville would receive $50.6 million to construct a science laboratory.

·

West Central Illinois projects that would be funded under a capital plan:

US 34 from Carman Road to Township Road 66 west of IL 164

$53 million is included in the proposed bond program for new roadway construction on 5.7 miles of a four-lane expressway, a new bridge, engineering and associated work.

US 67/US 136/IL 336

The proposed bond program includes $30.5 million for a new interchange, new bridge, land acquisition and engineering on the Macomb Bypass from US 136 in Macomb to US 136 northeast of Macomb.

US 67

$5.5 million is included in the bond program for design and engineering on the US 67 expansion from half a mile north of IL 101 to Schuy-Rush Park Road, including a Rushville Bypass.

Higher Education:

Western Illinois University in Macomb would receive $57 million to construct the Performing Arts Center